Running has many health benefits but sometimes it also gives back injuries that are painful and restricts your running! While we love a good long run backaches can make it impossible to go on for a long stretch. Here are some tips for runners that help in preventing back pain. Follow these if you run daily basis or are planning to start running for a better health:
Keep the hamstrings loose
Keeping your hamstrings tight takes the stress to your lower back muscles. To be free of back pains one needs to loosen up their hamstrings and stretching them after each run helps immensely. You can do this by practising yoga regularly as this is useful to loosen up your hamstrings.
Work those core muscles
Performing planks, crunches and other exercises that strengthen the core helps build the muscles and keeps away back pains. A strong and balanced core strengthens the body and lets you be less likely to get injured.
Warm up before running
Before starting to run, one should always give their start at a slower pace first. Run for say half a mile and do some stretches as warming up the muscles prevents major injuries many times.
Back Extension
Doing this exercise helps your ability to coordinate movement especially in the lower back area. Your back is strengthened having more endurance. Back extensions also help to straighten the back and avoiding injuries.
Cross Train
Many times what causes running injuries is the muscle imbalance. To strengthen your muscles try swimming, weightlifting and biking regularly as it works for those muscles which are not used for running and often pain later.
Hip Raises
People generally think that there is no use of the lower back in running but when you run, you get to know its importance. Weakness is any muscle forces pain and stress to the other, thus working for the betterment of each is important. To prevent back pain one needs to work on the entire strength and flexibility of the body and that can be done performing hip raises regularly.
